Platen-operating mechanism.



0. THIEME.

I PLATEN OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLxcATloN FILED MAYIB, 1911.

1,283,596. Patented Nov. 5, 1918..

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

III

x 205 2da Y n i 208 a D y "Svlt 0. THIEME. PLATEN OPERATING MECHANISM.APPLICATION FILED IIIAYIII. 1911.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

0. THIEME. PLATEN OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED IIIAYIa. IsII.

1,288,596. Patented Nov. 5,1913..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E STA@ OTTO THIEME, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 'ro MOON-HOPKINSBILLING MACHINE COMPANY, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION orMISSOURI.

PLATEN-OPERATING MECHANSM.

Specication of Letters Patent.-

llatented Nov. 5, 1918.

Application filed May 18, 1917. Serial No. 169,584.

ment in Platen-Operating Mechanism, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

This invention relates to writing machines, and specifically to certainimprovements in platen operating mechanism whereby a rotarypaper-carrying platen 'may be operatedv in line-spacing movement byautomatic means selectively controlled by a key in the keyboard of themachine.

The objects of my invention include the provision of such a mechanismwhereby the line-spacing movement of the platen may be performed by amotor employed customarily in other operations of the machine; toprovide an arrangement whereby the motor may be rendered effective toperform the line-spacing operation of the platen either automaticallyupon certain operations of the machine, or consequent upon volitionaloperation of a key bythe Operator; to provide a mechanism whereby theline-spacing operation may be effected through operation of the motor asmany times in immediate succession as may be desired; and to improvegenerally upon the construction of such mechanisms to the end ofproviding an arrangement which is comparatively simple, positive andaccurate in operation, and free from liability to disorders.

Other and further objectsof my invention will be obvious or pointed outhereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of parts included in my invention, the samebeing shown in association with certain parts of the writing machine,some of which are shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of another part of the mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of parts shownl in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the platen ratchet mechanism.

Referring to these illustrations by the characters of reference applied,it will be understood that the numeral 1 designates generally certainmachine 'frame parts which form a support for the operating` mechanismabout to be described. Movably mounted on said frame parts is a papercarriagev including the end frames 50 which are joined by suitablelongitudinal members 51, and in which is journaled the platen Y shaft 53carrying a rotary platen which may be of conventional form. The saidpaper carriage is mounted for lateral movement on bearing members 56,and may carry the conventional manually operable platen rotatingmechanism designated generally by the numeral 63..

In suitable association with the machine,

preferably below the table upon which it is' supported, is mounted an lelectric motor which is indicated by the character M in Fig.

3. In association with this motor is mountedv a transmission pinion 170which is constantly rotated from thel motor in the fashion wellunderstood. This pinion drives constantly a clutch shaft 171'having thefixedv clutch member 172 thereon. vFreely mounted On shaft 171 is theslidable clutch member 174 adapted for interengagement with the clutchmember 172 under infiuence of spring 175. Clutch member 174: carries adisk cam 17 6 and a wedge member 177, the latter having its activefaceextending about part of the circumference of the clutch member, andarranged to exert its effective wedging action in a directionlongitudinally of shaft An abutment bar 17 8 is slidably mounted o n adepending portion of the machine frame being urged downwardly by aspring 179. `When in its lowered position, the lower extremity ofabutment member 178 lies in the path of the wedging edge of the wedgemember 177, and when in engagement with the wedge member at its widestpart holds the clutch `member 1711 out of vengagement with the clutchmember 172. Ilfhe upward movement of the abutment member 17 8, whichdisengages the wedge member 177 and permits the engagement of the clutchmembers, is derived from a line-Spacing key disposed in the keyboard,and whose lever` is indicated at 180. On a shaft 1833 is loosely sistingof an arm 184C conjoined by a shaft 185 to a second arm 186 forms ameans whereby rocking movement may be imparted from line-spacing keylever 189 to arm 181. l/Vhen key lever 180 is depressed, arm 181 will berocked upwardly, raising dog 182;

and as a consequence the abutment member 178. This will release slidableclutch member 174@ and permit its engagement with the running clutchmember 172. At the limit of upward movement of arm 181, dog 182 iscammed out of engagement with abutment.

member 178 by virtue of the engagement of said dog with a lug 187.Thereupon, abutu ment member 178 immediately drops downwardly underinfluence of spring 179, so as to resume its position in the path of theeffective edge of the wedge member 177 so that the latter at the end ofone revolution,I

by virtue of the wedging action exerted against abutment member 178,will cam the shiftable clutch member 174 out of erfragement with therunning clutch member. Upon the release of key lever 180, the dog 182 isrestored to engagement with the abutment member 178.

During this revolution of slidable clutch member 17%, the thrust of itscani 176 is rendered el'fective upon, a roller 188 carried on an arm 189which is pivoted at 19() to a stationary member and at 191 to aconnecting rod 192. liflien arm 189 is thus rocked downwardly by the'action of cam 176, the movement will be imparted by connecting rod 192to the double bell crank 194 which is pivoted at 195, and whose forwardeX- tremity 191a engages a rod 196 which extends the entire lengt-h ofthe carriage and constitutes a means for swinging a platen rotatinglever 197 which is carried by a rock Shaft 198 journaied in the sideframes 50.

CoaXiall y pivoted with lever 197 by means of a slot, is a dog 199,which is adapted to operate on the'platen ratchet wheel 200, the saiddog having its forward end urged upvardly by a spring 201. Operativeconnection is made between lever 197 and dog 199 by means of ashift-able connecting member Q02 slidably and pivotally connected tolever 197. by a screw 20% passed through a slot in said connectingmember, and by a lug 205 extending laterally over the dog 199 andcngaging at its rear side a lug 20G on the dog, and at its underside, hv means of teeth, a serrated upper edge of lever 197. The lug 205 isheld in engagement with the serrated edge of the. lever by the tendencyof a spring 207. By virtue of this connection, when the messen lower endof lever 197 is rocked rearwardly e5 by bell crank 19t, dog 199 will bethrown into engagement with the platen, ratchet wheel Q09, and thelatter will be rotated. T he extent to which the ratchet wheel isrotated, depends upon the position of dog 199. llhen connecting member:202 is shifted forwardly on lever 197, it will permit dog 199 to moveforwardly under the inliuence of its spring Q01. When connecting memberQ02 is shifted rearwardly on lever 197, it will move dog 199 rearwardlyby virtue of the engagement of lug 205 against lug 206; the fartherforward dog 199 is moved, the more teeth. of the ratchet wheel will becomprehended within the scope of its oscillation, and hence the greaterwill be the movement of the ratchet wheel. A pawl 208 pivoted .on theside frame at 208a and controlled by a lateral projection on dog 199 isswung into position to engage ratchet wheel 200 to prevent overthrow,upon rocking of lever 197.

By virtueiof the structure just described,

it -will be obvious that the rocking of lever 189 by the rotation of cam176. will cause the line-spacing movement of the platen, and that saidoperation can take place at any position of the carriage, by virtue ofthe fact that rod 199 extends the entire length of the carriage, andtherefore.l is always in. position for the operative engagement of bellcrank arm 19e?. Furthermore it will be seen how the line-spacing ope'ation is def rived from the motor upon the depression of a key in thekeyboard and independently of any other operation of the machine.

rThe mechanism is also adapted for Operation automatically upon certainpredetermined operations of the machine/ or associated mechanism. As themeans for aceomplishing this automatic: operation, let it be understoodthat X32 indicates a shaft which is operable from the motor throughsuitable connections,so that upon certain predetermining operations theshaft 32 may be rocked. or partially rotated. Upon the l shaft X32 iscarried an arm Q09 which is swung forwardly upon the operation of theshaft. In the path of the free end of this arm on the bell crank 194 ismounted a spring pressed. stud 210, the same being carried in a yokemember 211 pivoted on a pin 212 and having an offset rear arm 214. A

spring 215 tends to hold the stud/210 projected into the path of the arm209. This arm has a beveled portion 209a which cams the stud laterallyagainst the spring 215 and` permits the passage of the arm 209 thereby.Upon the return operation of the arm 209, however, the rear face thereof209b engages the projecting stud 210 and rocks the bell crank 194 toeffect the linespaeing move* ment of the platen through the meansheretofore described. ln this fashion, the linoine . device 217 wherebyit is held in one or the other of its positions. This shaft carries anger 218 which, when the shaft is thrust inwardly is adapted to engagethe rear eX- tension 214e of the yoke 211, and swinging said yoke toretract the stud 210 from the path of the arm 209. The shaft 216 beingheld in its inward position by,its detent mechanism, the operation ofarm 209 upon the line-spacing mechanism will be avoided, so that theplaten wil` not be automatically line-spaced upon actuation of the shaftX32.

From the foregoing, it is to be observed that my invention provides amechanism whereby. the operation of line-spacin g mechanism by theconstantly running motor may be controlled with certainty, as eachlinespacing operation requires a separate depression of the controllingkey. Hence, an excessive operation of the line-spacing mechanism, due tothe operators inadvertently holding the controlling key depressed, ispositively prevented. At the same time, the arrangement permits of avery rapid operation, so that the line-spacing operation'is securedinstantaneously upon the depression of the controlling key.

I am aware that my invention may be embodied in a variety of formsdiffering in many particulars from that herein shownl and described asillustrative, and it is my intention that such variations andmodifications are comprehended within the scope o the following claims..

What I claim is:

l. In a typewriting machine in combination, a revoluble platen, a motor,a ratchet device for line-spacing the platen, a cam member eectivel uponthe ratchet device, a clutch mechanism for clutching the cam member tothe motor, andmanually operative means for rendering the clutchmechanism eifective.

2. In a writing machine, the combination of a laterally movablecarriage, a revoluble platen therein, a ratchet mechanism for giving theplaten line-spacing movement, a bar extending in the direction of theletter-spacing movement and movable with the c arriage, said bar havingoperating connection with the ratchet mechanism, a transmission devicehaving operative association with the bar in different lateral positionsof the carriage, a motor, and .manually manipulative means for renderingthe motor effective upon the transmission device to actuate the ratchetmechanism.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a revoluble platen,line-spacing mechanism for rotating the same, transmission means forimparting movement to said line-spacing mechanism, a motor, a cam membereifectively operable upon the transmission mechanism, a clutch forengaging the cam member for actuation by the motor,

and a manually operable abutment member for governing the engagement ofthe clutch.

4. In a machine of the class described, a platen-rotating mechanism, alever having a stationary mounting and arranged 'to actuate saidmechanism, a motor, manually operable lmeans for rendering said motoreffective upon said lever, a swinging arm operable by the motor, andmanually .adjustable means for rendering the movement of said armeffective upon the said lever to operate the platen-rotating mechanismindependently of the manually operable means. y

5. In a typewriting machine, the combina- .tion of a laterally movablecarriage, a revoluble platen'carried therein, an oscillatory platemounted on the carriage, a dog `mounted lon said plate and adjustable tovaryits extent of oscillatory movement, a.

ratchet whe'el associated with the platen and in coperative disposal tosaid dog, a bal" carried by the plate and extending longitudinally ofthe carriage, and means operatively associated with the bar for swingingthe same to oscillate the plate.

6. In a writing machine, the combina'- tion of a platen-operatingmechanism, a motor normally out. of.operative engagement therewith,means for placing said motor in operative engagement with the mechanism,a controlling member for controlling the operation of said means,manually operable means effectiveupon said `controlling member toaccomplish the engagement of the motor 'and platen-operating mechanism,and means for releasing said controlling member from said manuallyoperable mechanism.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination 0fplatenoperating mechanism, a motor disposed for connection therewith,means effective to place said motor in control of said mechanism, acontrollin member for governing the operation of sai means, amanipulative member operatively connected with the controlling memberand operable thereupon to permit engagement of the motor with theplaten-operating mechanism, and means fordisengaging said manipulative'member from said controlling member upon operationr of the former.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a' rotatableplaten, ratchet mechanism for imparting movement to the platen to rotateit, a transmission member operable to act-nate the ratchet mechanism, amotor, a manually operable key and key Leeeee meohenism for renderingseid motor eEecvseid lever, a rotatable cem eieetive upon tive upon seidtransmission member, and said rocking erm to swing it to actuate theineens o arable by seid motor independently lever, a constantly rotatingmotor eiective of said ey for actuating the transmission to rotate thecam, clutch mechanism for 5 member to eteot rotation of the platen.controlling the operation of the cam by the 15 9. in e writing machine,the combinationA motor, and manually operable means ,for

of e rotatable pinten, line-spacing mechacontrolling the clutchmechanism. nism for rotating the seme, a lever eeotive n testimonywhereof 1 hereunto aix my upon seid Ene-spacing mechanism to operatesignature this 10th day of May, 1917.

l0 it, a rocking arm operably connected with OTTO THIEME.

